Hypnobirthing

The birth of your baby is a transformative event in your life - let's make it one that you're at the centre of.

Upcoming dates:

Full course (two-day):

• Sundays Feb 2 & 16 2025- 9am to 4pm (note Waitangi day long weekend between)

• Sundays May 4 & 11 2025 - 9am to 4pm

• Sundays Jul 13 & 20 - 9am to 4pm

Refresher one-day intensive course:

• Sunday Dec 8 2024 - 9am to 4pm

• Sunday in April (TBC) 2025 - 9am to 4pm

• other 2025 dates TBC - please contact me if interested so I can accommodate you!

Full course (four-weeknights):

• Wednesdays November 6, 13, 20 & 27 2024 (dates TBC) - 6:30pm to 9pm

• Mondays March 2025 (dates TBC) - 6:30pm to 9pm

Note when booking: I have a minimum of two couples for a class to proceed. I will contact you to rearrange dates, convert to a private class or a full refund if the class won't go ahead.

Or contact me if these don't suit and I'll accommodate your schedule

The Positive Birth Program Hypnobubs course is split into four units. This is the leading independent antenatal childbirth education in Australia (where I hail from) and is fast becoming a favourite among kiwi parents. All information is relevant to our New Zealand maternity system and allows you to make informed and empowered choices. I personally have given birth here in Queenstown, as well as in Sydney (in case you want to ask me about the differences to Aus!), so I know a bit about the maternity system here.

What we Cover in the Positive Birth Course

Unit 1: Creating and Maintaining a Positive Mindset

• Introduction to the positive mindset of Hypnobirthing

• How our brain is wired to birth

• The role of our caregivers

• Mind & body connection

• What is self-hypnosis and how will we use it for birthing?

• Our hormones are our friends

• The amazing uterus - understanding the physiology behind birthing

• Fear-Tension-Pain Syndrome

• Causes of Fear (including history) and how it affects our labour

• Reprogramming the subconscious

• Our support team

• Birthing environment

• The language for empowered birthing

• The power of affirmations

Unit 2: Our Toolkit for Birth

• Self-hypnosis tracks

• Birth music

• Conditioning with scent

• Hypnotic anchors and triggers

• Releasing endorphins through massage and touch

• Acupressure techniques for pregnancy, birth & breastfeeding

• Visualisations for pregnancy, labour & birth

• The importance of facial relaxation

• Relaxation breathing - a skill for life

• Surge breathing - the best tool ever!

• Techniques to help make your surges more comfortable

• The 'urge' to push/bear down - breathing/bearing down

• Instant relaxation techniques

Day 2

Unit 3: Preparation & Choices for Empowered Birthing

• Bonding with baby

• Birth preferences - having open communication with your caregivers

• Knowledge is power - researching common interventions and procedures

• Questions to ask to assist you in making informed decisions

• Birth partner as advocate

• 'Guess date' - a normal range of pregnancy

• Inductions - things you're not always told

• Achieving a natural start to labour

• Maintaining a healthy diet

• Preparing the body - staying active

• Optimising baby's position

• Breech or Posterior - options & positions

• Self-hypnosis, meditation & deep relaxation techniques & scripts

Unit 4: Birth - Bringing it all Together

• What to expect in the weeks and days leading up to birth

• Signs that labour is starting

• What to expect through labour (membranes releasing etc.)

• When to call your midwife

• Accidental home/car birth - what to do!

• Birth partners role

• Common procedures

• Using water during labour and birth

• Upright positioning, movement and birth positions

• Special circumstances (including caesarean birth)

• Fear release

• Vocalisation

• Cord clamping & placenta delivery

• Undisturbed bonding & breastfeeding time - skin to skin

• What to expect afterwards

All the "silly" questions

What is the “hypno” part of hypnobirthing?

Let’s be honest - the “hypno” part of hypnobirthing sounds a bit woo-woo and almost turned me off attending a class. I get it, but I promise you won’t be in a trance or in some one else’s control. The “hypno” part of hypnobirthing refers to hypnosis which is a state of calm and meditation, similar to being absorbed by a good book. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis, so only you can make it work.

Hypnosis and hypnotherapy is to let go of fears and release endorphins during our birth. Think of hypnosis like guided visualisation.

With the help of self-hypnosis, your birth can be a more calm and relaxed experience. The aim is for you to feel like you are in the driver’s seat rather than a passenger. This is likely to reduce the need for interventions during your birth.

It’s not all about self-hypnosis though - the course focuses a lot on childbirth education to empower you to have the positive birth you want.

When should I attend the course?

The best time to attend a course is a date that fits in around your busy life!

However, ideally try to book your classes to fall between 20-36 weeks. There’s a balance between allowing yourself enough time to be able to practice the tools that are taught in hypnobirthing, but also it can be helpful to have a ‘bump’ to experience some of the practical elements of the course. Late in the second trimester, or early third trimester is often a good time to attend the course. You know what time suits you and your schedule best though, so book a course date that feels right for you.

Whenever you decide to attend a course during your pregnancy you’ll benefit immensely from the course information and tools.

What does the investment get me?

As parents or parents-to-be we often focus on the physical “things” we need to birth and raise babies and kids, but it’s important to remember that going into parenthood armed with information and support get make a world of difference to our confidence. As my parents liked to say when I was growing up - “no one can take away education once you have it, it’s yours for life!”.

The Hypnobubs course is 12 hours of content - theory, practical, birth stories and videos and guided visualisations. The course booklet is provided for couples with information to support all the course content. Morning and afternoon tea in each session is provided. I’m available after our course for ongoing support and to answer any questions you might have.

Should I still attend other antenatal classes?

The choice is yours. The Positive Birth Program Hypnobubs™ is a very comprehensive, and independent, childbirth education course giving you an understanding of birth physiology, medical interventions and their benefits and risks, and tools to manage your breathing and mindset.

Other antenatal courses often cover a lot of information about interventions, medical procedures and policy during birth. Our course participants learn all about the physiology of birth, what to expect during pregnancy and the onset of labour, how to release any fears associated with birth, and learn techniques (relaxation, active positions, breathing, acupressure and visualisations) to use during labour.

Having said that, I believe that ‘knowledge is power’ and the knowledge that you will gain through antenatal classes, along with our course can help you to make informed decisions. So ultimately, the choice is yours whether you choose to attend just our course, or both.

What is covered in the course?

The course is comprehensive and at the same time very easy to follow. It prepares mothers, birthing parents and birth partners for a positive and empowered birth experience using a tried and tested approach:

• mindset - understanding how to create and maintain a positive mindset through pregnancy and birth

• knowledge - about the functions of the body, the birth process and choices available during childbirth; because, ‘knowledge is power’

• tools - to help you to remain calm throughout your pregnancy and during the intensity of childbirth (tools include breathing, positions, visualisation, relaxation and self-hypnosis)

• support - for you and your birth partner – so that they can take an active role and help you to achieve a more comfortable and satisfying birth experience

• preparation - for your mind and body, including expert tuition, professionally produced visualisation tracks and comprehensive resources

I'm anxious about things that take away my control. Does the course include hypnosis?

This course teaches you how to sink into a deep state of relaxation - similar to that which you are in when you 'zone out' reading a book or watching a movie. You are still absolutely in control, can hear anything you want, can snap in and out of this very normal state at will. Some call it 'deep relaxation' or 'self-hypnosis' or 'hypnobirthing'.

Women and female mammals have used this skill in childbirth forever... when we are able to approach our birth in a normal, non-fearful way. I'll explain more about this in the course. Know that you’re totally in control, and it’s a powerful way to feel calm in your birth, and you can take these skills with you into parenting.

How is my birth partner involved?

Your birth partner can be an integral part of the hypnobirth experience. In the course we teach your birth partner the theory around pregnancy and birth, and practical techniques to help you to prepare for deep relaxation.

During labour, your partner guides you through hypnobirthing prompts, relaxation techniques, deepening methods, and visualisations, provides comfort measures, and joins in welcoming your new baby.

Will I be unconscious or will I remember my birth experience?

Despite misconceptions and misinformation, you are definitely not unconscious during self-hypnosis. Hypnobirthing is used to get you deeply relaxed, but you are an active participant in the labour process (in fact you're the only reason everyone else is there!). Although you may be deeply relaxed, you are totally aware and may return to a conversation or choose to become mobile whenever you desires. Hypnobirthing mothers often find that they and are less distracted by other people or their birthing environment, while they focus on their birthing and their baby.

Will the course be useful to me if I don’t opt for a 'natural' childbirth or if circumstances necessitate medical intervention or a cesarean birth?

Absolutely!

The things you will learn during this course will help you to learn relaxation skills that will be useful to you, your baby and your birth partner regardless of your birth experience. In the event that medical intervention of any sort is needed, you will find yourself better able to remain calm and in control. 

The Positive Birth Program provides you information to help you feel in control of your decision-making. Past hypnobirthers who have needed scheduled cesareans for medical reasons report that they use the same tools to be relaxed before, during and after the procedure. This course will provide you with the tools and techniques to help you remain calm, relaxed and in-control.

The main aim of the Positive Birth Program is for you to be the ultimate decision maker in your birth, no matter what turn your birth may take.

What if my midwife or doctor is not familiar with using self-hypnosis for childbirth?

More and more care providers are becoming aware of the benefits of hypnobirthing. If your caregiver is not knowledgeable about hypnobirthing, take the opportunity in your pregnancy to discuss the techniques you will be using and the type of calm birthing environment that you desire. In class, you will learn how to create a plan of Birth Preferences, which will help you to communicate your birthing goals and preferences to your care team.

Is it true that I will experience a pain-free birth with a hypnobirth?

No one (including us!) can promise painless birthing, though many mothers who complete our program do report having a relatively pain-free birth or one that they were able to manage easily.

Fear is often cause of pain by constricting the birthing muscles. When you feel less fear going into birth it tends to be a much more comfortable experience. A relaxed mother’s body will produce more endorphins which is a natural hormonal relaxants.

Hypnobirthing mothers may still experience sensations of tightening, pressure or 'intensity'; but most describe their birth experience as working with their body through the sensations, and thus avoiding the excruciating pain that is frequently spoken of by women who have prepared for their birth differently.

Is there evidence to support the use of hypnobirthing?

There is! As well as countless anecdotal evidence from satisfied parents, there is a 2015 study that showed a decrease in cesarean surgery, perineal tearing, a shorter second stage of labour and less epidural use.

What about if I don't have a partner?

When I refer to 'birth partner', I mean anyone who you choose to support you during your birth. It might be your mother, sister, doula or friend. Bring them to the class with you so you're both on the same page! 

However if you also want to attend 'alone', you'll get as much from the class as everyone else and you're never actually alone with your baby on the journey with you!